As you know, I LOVE casseroles! It is amazing how a few simple ingredients can come together to help you create something so amazing. Today I’m partnering with Country Crock to bring you some casserole tips and a fantastic recipe for Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza Casserole!
I made this casserole for the first time over the weekend and it turned out great! But before we get to the recipe, let’s talk casseroles in general!
Casseroles are a great meal for week nights and any time you’re on the run, especially during the back to school season and holidays! Here are a few tips to make them an even more convenient part of your meal time routine:
1. Make your casserole the night before a particularly busy day. This way, everything is already chopped, mixed, and made up. You just have to pull it out of the refrigerator when you get home and stick it in the oven!
2. Make a double batch of your casserole. Eat one now and freeze the other for a later time. (Don’t forget to label the outside with a name and date so you will know what it is and when it was made.)
3. If you have a small family and don’t like a lot of leftovers, cut your recipe in half to prevent waste and save a little money.
4. Got a picky eater? You can easily leave out an ingredient or substitute it with something else and make any casserole kid friendly, yet still just as delicious as the original recipe.
5. Need a kid friendly version, but still want all the peppers, onions, and veggies for yourself? Divide your casserole in to two pans, one for the kids and one for you.
6. Line your dish with foil before placing your casserole ingredients inside. This makes for a super easy clean up!
7. Purchase inexpensive, disposable metal pans for potlucks or when carrying a dish to a family member or friend, so you don’t have to worry about retrieving your dish.
Ingredients:
3-4 cups uncooked spaghetti (I used about 3/4 of a 12.5 oz box)
12-15 slices bacon
2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (chopped)
1 bell pepper (diced)
3 tablespoons minced garlic (or 1 - 2 cloves)
1-2 tablespoons Country Crock
3/4 cup ranch dressing
1 pouch real bacon bits
3 cups shredded Italian blend cheese
Ranch Alfredo Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 cup Country Crock
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 cups Half and Half
6 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (shredded, not powder)
pepper to taste
3 tbsp ranch seasoning
1/3 cup milk
Directions:
1. Fry bacon, drain, and set aside. Tear apart once it's cooled. (To save time, I used pre-cooked bacon.)
2. Chop your bell pepper, chicken, and garlic clove (if not using pre-minced).
3. Place 1-2 tablespoons of melted Country Crock in large skillet. Add bell pepper and garlic.
4. Dip chicken in ranch dressing and place in skillet with peppers and garlic.
5. Cook in skillet until chicken is done. (When chicken is done, drain if needed.)
6. Meanwhile place spaghetti noodles in large pot to cook on high heat. (Drain water when spaghetti is al dente.) And in a sauce pan, start to work on your Ranch Alfredo Sauce.
7. Melt the 1/2 cup of Country Crock in a saucepan. Add cream cheese and garlic powder. Stir together until smooth.
8. Add half and half, shredded parmesan cheese, and pepper. Stir until combined and smooth.
9. Stir in 1/3 cup milk and 3 tablespoons ranch seasoning.
10. Add chicken mixture to sauce and mix well.
11. You're no ready to start putting your casserole together. Start with a thin layer of the sauce mixture. (Just enough to cover the bottom) Next add a layer of spaghetti, followed by a thin layer of the shredded Italian cheese, and then about half the bacon slices. Then repeat the layers as follows: sauce mixture, noodles, cheese, rest of bacon, and then end with a layer of sauce. Then top with remaining cheese. (Be sure to ration the cheese out so that you have 1 to 1 1/2 cups for the topping. Then top with package of bacon bits. (Yes, I used the whole package! Believe me, it was great!)
https://www.simplysweethome.com/2013/09/chicken-bacon-ranch-pizza-casserole/
For more delicious casseroles and other great recipes, check out the Country Crock Pinterest page
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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Thanks so much, Jerri, for this recipe! I made this tonight and my family loved it!